Growers promoting much larger Kanzi crop

CMI Orchards and Applewood Orchards both expect to have more than double the Kanzi volume they produced last season.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI plans on an 120% increase in overall Kanzi volume, including a 400% increase in organic Kanzis, according to a news release.

Deerfield, Mich.-based Applewood Orchards, the other U.S. grower of the variety, plans on a 150% increase in conventional Kanzi volume.

“We’re so excited to be launching the 2017 Kanzi season,” George Harter, vice president of marketing for CMI, said in a news release. “U.S. consumers are fast discovering why Kanzi is one of the hottest apples in Europe.

Steve Lutz, senior strategist for CMI, described the role that new varieties like Kanzi can play in driving sales.

“The most successful retailers are very strategic in merchandising because they know the value of shifting consumer purchases up to high-flavor, higher-priced branded apples like Kanzi,” Lutz said in the release. “The net result is they move their mix away from low-cost commodity apples into higher-cost premium apples. Even small shifts in volume drive strong increases in total dollars.

Scott Swindeman, vice president of Applewood, said the taste of Kanzi has kept consumers coming back after its color initially attracts them.

“Beyond the unique flavor of Kanzi, retailers tell us they love how this apple stands out on supermarket shelves,” Swindeman said in the release. “What we’ve learned is the fire-engine red and bright yellow background color of Kanzi really catches the eye of the consumer.”